Garbage can holder



Feb. 15, 1966 D. w. OTTO ET AL 3,235,094

GARBAGE CAN HOLDER Filed Aug. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.RAYMOND B. UPI/US BYDomuo M 0770 #rraxM/ar Feb. 15, 1966 D. w. OTTO ETAL GARBAGE CAN HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1963 INVFN' OR. R4YMOND 8. UPI/(IS BY Dan/1910 M 0770 ArroAu/EJ' United States Patent3,235,094 GARBAGE CAN HOLDER Donald W. Otto and Raymond B. Uphus, SankCentre, Minn., assiguors to Inter-Marc Corporation, Alexandria, Minn., acorporation of Minnesota Filed Aug. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 304,515 3 Claims.(Cl. 211--71) This invention relates generally to container supportapparatus and more specifically to a support device for positivelyholding several garbage cans or the like and maintaining them inelevated position above the ground.

Garbage can holders presently available are generally expensive tomanufacture and thus expensive to the purchaser and most holderscommercially available have features which make their use dilficult.

Applicants however, have provided a garbage can holder which will berelatively inexpensive to the ultimate purchaser and which will providepositive positioning and holding features for simultaneously supportinga plurality of garbage cans simultaneously.

It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simple andinexpensive supporting device for simultaneously supporting a pluralityof garbage cans or the like whether the cans are of the same orsubstantially different dimensions.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a stable supportdevice for holding a plurality of garbage cans by providing a singlesupport strut for insertion into the earth and having means thereon tosupport the cans in spaced relation therearound such that each of thecans is easily accessible for use.

It is a further specific object of this invention to provide a stablesupport device for maintaining a plurality of garbage cans in elevatedpositions above the ground by providing a means to engage and positionthe bottom circumferential flange of the garbage cans at a position onthe support which will allow a suflicient length of the support to beembedded in the ground to prevent tipping thereof.

It is a further specific object to provide individual handle engagingmeans near the upper end of a main support for engagement with a handleof the garbage cans such that any of the cans may be removed from thesupport without disturbing those cans remaining thereon.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the view, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a garbage can holder embodying the concepts ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical section taken substantially along line 2-2of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation showing the garbage can holder embedded in theground;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the can support member;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the member shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows the plan and front view of the upper handle retainingelement.

In accordance with the accompanying drawings and to best illustrate theuse of the garbage can holder, a plurality of individual garbage cansdesignated A are shown mounted thereon. As is known the cans are usuallyconstructed with a lower circumferential flange section B which normallyjoins the side to the bottom of the can and handle members C provided onthe side of the can at the uppermost portions thereof. The can holdergenerally designated 10 comprises a main support strut designated 11having the lower end 11a converging to a point to facilitate placing thestrut 11 into the ground and an upper end designated 11b substantiallyreduced in diameter with respect to the body 11. A cotter pin Hz! orother locking means is arranged to pass through a diametrically arrangedopening in the reduced portion 11b of the support strut 11. A garbagecan support plate 15 is arranged longitudinally along the support strut11 at a suflicient distance from the ground piercing end 11a thereof toallow the strut 11 to be embedded a sufficient length into the ground,as shown in FIG. 3, such that no other supports are required to hold thestrut 11 in the upright position. In the form shown the support plate 15is fixedly attached to the strut by welding the ends of a centrallylocated sleeve member 16 thereto.

For manufacturing reasons the plate member 15 is separately fabricatedand is an individual member as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The support plateas illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises a substantially fiat bottomportion 15a having three spaced upstanding flange members designated 15bon the periphery thereof and combined strengthening and, water drainolfchannel sections designated 15c arranged intermediate the upstandingside members 15b. The Water channel drainotfs are formed directly in thebase 15a and are pitched outwardly from the center thereof. A pair ofspaced slots designated 17 are formed in each of the upstanding flanges15b and extend to the base portion 15w as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.The slots 17 are arranged to receive the arcuate bottom rim B of thegarbage can A and hold the same therein, as illustrated by the dottedarc line in FIG. 4. When the cans are arranged in this fashion thedrainoff sections will directly underlie the cans A. This slot and platearrangement provides positive positioning and support for the bottom ofthe cans as illustrated in FIG. 2 but allows a can A to be removedtherefrom without disturbing the arrangement of the other cans.

In the form shown three handle engaging elements designated 20 arearranged on the reduced portion 11b of the support strut 11 and areillustrated individually in FIG. 6. The elements 20 comprise a generallyhook shaped end portion designated 20a defining a handle receivingcavity 2% therein. A passage 200 is formed adjacent the other end of theretaining element 20 such that the same may be slid and arranged uponthe reduced portion 11b of the support strut 11 such that should thehandles C of the cans A be at different levels the handle retainingelements 20 may be slid along the strut 11 and arranged to grasp andretain the handle C at any height. The purpose of the locking membersuch as the cotter pin 110. now becomes apparent as it is purely to holdthe handle engaging elements 20 on the strut 11 and prevent accidentalloss or removal. This arrangement of individual handle retainingelements 20 eliminates the problem created by certain garbage canholders now on the market as the usual method is to simply arrange thecan handles C about the supporting strut. This, of course, involves thedifficulty that the handles C are in overlapping fashion and should thebottom can require removal it is necessary to remove the other cansalso. When properly arranged as shown in FIG. 2 the holder elements 20maintain the cans A in a generally upright position and aid in preventing any shifting thereof upon the base plate 15.

The strength of the base plate 15 which is made of substantially thinmaterial is attained by providing the upright flanges 15b and the waterdrainoff portions 150, the strength attained thereby being such that itis only necessary to engage one very limited portion of the garbage canbottom flange B and still balance and retain the can A in positionthereon.

The advantages of this garbage can holder 10 are that the cans A areheld in upright position at an elevated point above the ground such thatno injury to the grass dueto lack of sunlight will occur and further thecans will not be in contact with the wetground causing rusting or rapiddeterioration of the cans. The elevation of course affords furtherprotection against vermin or scavengers such as dogs and the like as thecans may not be accidentally tipped from the strut.

It is obvious that applicants have provided a garbage can holder Whichprovides positive support for a plurality of garbage cans and isextremely flexible to allow different sized cans to be placed thereonand still etficiently hold the same at a position above the ground toremove thecansfrom not only the dangers of moisture but the possibilityof dogs and other scavengers upsetting and opening the same.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the form,details, arrangements and proportion of parts without departing from thescope of the invention, which generally stated consistsin the matter setforth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A support for a plurality of conventional garbage cansorthe likehaving a downwardly disposed circumferential flange'on the bottomthereofand provided with handles on the sides thereof comprising:

(a) an elongated support strut having one end thereof arranged forembedding into the earth to provide the sole means of support,

(11) support means,arrangedintermediate the ends of said strut normallyelevated, from the ground when the strut is placed therein including anoutwardly extending base member defining a single support surfacehavingretaining; means thereon for receiving a portion ofcircumferential flange of at least one a garbage can therein and holdingthe same against lateral movement thereon,

(c) a plurality of independent handle retaining elements having means toeffect sliding movement on said support strut to facilitate longitudinalpositioning along said strut and extending normally outward therefromhaving one end thereof arranged for retaining engagement with a garbagecan handle to provide the sole means for holding the can in uprightposition when the bottom of the can is engaged with the base supportingmember.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said flange retainingmeans includes a plurality of spaced upstanding flanges arranged on theperiphery of said base member and provided with retaining slots thereinto engage the downwardly disposed circumferential flange of the garbagecan and prevent shifting thereof.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and a plurality of water drainingchannels arranged intermediate said flanges to provide drainage meansfor said base plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,648,528 11/1927Ziringer 211-78 2,448,456 8/1948 Niskanen et a1 248156 2,702,641 2/1955Arthur 211-71 2,795,336 6/1957 Erenberg et al. 21171 2,891,753 6/1959Bittle 248-149 2,905,333 9/1959 Lownsbery 211-83 3,007,664 11/1961Fairbanks-et a1; 248-156 3,130,837 4/1964 Baker 21183 CLAUDE A; LE ROY,Primary Examiner.

1. A SUPPORT FOR A PLURALITY OF CONVENTIONAL GARBAGE CANS OR THE LIKEHAVING A DOWNWARDLY DISPOSED CIRCUMFERENTIAL FLANGE ON THE BOTTOMTHEREOF AND PROVIDED WITH HANDLES ON THE SIDES THEREOF COMPRISING: (A)AN ELONGATED SUPPORT STRUT HAVING ONE END THEREOF ARRANGED FOR EMBEDDINGINTO THE EARTH TO PROVIDE THE SOLE MEANS OF SUPPORT, (B) SUPPORT MEANSARRANGED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID STRUT NORMALLY ELEVATED FROM THEGROUND WHEN THE STRUT IS PLACED THEREIN INCLUDING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDINGBASE MEMBER DEFINING A SINGLE SUPPORT SURFACE HAVING RETAINING MEANSTHEREON FOR RECEIVING A PORTION OF CIRCUMFERENTIAL FLANGE OF AT LEASTONE GARBAGE CAN THEREIN AND HOLDING THE SAME AGAINST LATERAL MOVEMENTTHEREON, (C) A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENT HANDLE RETAINING ELEMENTS HAVINGMEANS TO EFFECT SLIDING MOVEMENT ON SAID SUPPORT STRUT TO FACILITATELONGITUDINAL POSITIONING ALONG SAID STRUT AND EXTENDING NORMALLY OUTWARDTHEREFROM HAVING ONE END THEREOF ARRANGED FOR RETAINING ENGAGEMENT WITHA GARBAGE CAN HANDLE TO PROVIDE THE SOLE MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CAN INUPRIGHT POSITION WHEN THE BOTTOM OF THE CAN IS ENGAGED WITH THE BASESUPPORTING MEMBER.